The Games Daily - July 3-4, 2015

Let The Fun & Games Begin!

Welcome to the first online edition of the 2015 Games Daily News!

Our hope to capture the spirit of competition and camaraderie that characterizes The Games. In addition to the features, news and information, this page also provides links (see above) that will take you to a photo gallery (active on July 4), Games in the News (a listing of media coverage showing what others are saying about us), and quick links to the 2015 Games Results pages at NSGA.com.

On Your Marks…Get Set…READ!

Minnesota Senior Athletes Excited About Hosting Games

by Andrew Ruffing

Many senior athletes from Minnesota are excited that the 2015 National Senior Games presented by Humana are taking place at their "own back door," as tennis player Ruby Rott, 80, puts it.

800 individual events in 19 sports ranging from tennis to track to judo, Minnesota residents are glad to share their home state with visitors. Javelin thrower John Levy, 72, hopes that people from other states will be "surprised by how many things we have to offer," as well as citizens' "Minnesota nice" attitude.

Track and field competitor Carrie Michurski, 55, "made it a point to qualify" when she learned that The Games would take place in Minnesota. Michurski got involved in The Games to reclaim health and fitness, and has seen lots of benefits.

One of the benefits of having The Games take place in Minnesota is that people from outside the state will see how Minnesotans often "embrace and protect" the environment, according to Michurski.

However, Levy says the location has not motivated him to perform any less than if he were in any other place. He says that the best thing The Games have done is motivate people to "get off your chair and do something." He says participating in The Games"keeps you younger longer."

As visitors come to Minnesota from across the country, Rott hopes they "feel very "Welcome" in their home state.

The Torch is Here! Get Ready for Flame Arrival and Fireworks!

After two years of anticipation, and a week-long "whistle stop" torch tour to five U.S. cities, emotions will explode as athletes reunite and celebrate the opening of the 2015 National Senior Games presented by Humana This time, the cauldron lighting will be punctuated with fireworks on the banks of the Mississippi River on the 4th of July.

The Flame Arrival Ceremony sponsored by AstraZeneca Diabetes will be a featured event within the annual Red, White and Boom! community event in the Twin Cities. Live music will be playing at nearby Mill Ruins Park and Father Hennepin Bluffs Park from 6-8 p.m. Then the free Flame Arrival program featuring the cauldron lighting ceremony will be held at 8 p.m. at Nicollet Island Pavilion. After the welcoming preliminaries, the cauldron will be lit by a featured torchbearer. It will be a spectacular Minnesota-style kick-off to the 2015 Games.

Since parking for large events can be limited, the local host organization recommends using public transportation to get there. The closest bus stop for Nicollet Island Pavilion, is Central Ave and 2nd St. SE. Nicollet Island is within walking distance of Father Hennepin Park.

Golden Olympics athletes and organizers in the nation's capital. The torch traveled to New York City, Cleveland, Chicago and Milwaukee via Amtrak before arriving in St. Paul.

Welcome to YOUR Village - A True Athlete Experience!

The Minneapolis Convention Center is the hub of activity for The Games, and the heart of it is The Village: A Health & Wellness Expo and Athlete Experience sponsored by AstraZeneca Diabetes. After you check in, take a look around and plan to return again for the many special presentations, demonstrations, interactive displays and more for you to discover.

Speakers of note will take to the Goodman Group Main Stage to educate and inspire. The Village will also include The Activity Area sponsored by AARP, The Lounge sponsored by Florida Sports Foundation, and Fitness Demonstrations and Bingo sponsored by Silver Sneakers. This Daily Flyer will display Today and Tomorrow schedules so pick up a copy when you return.

More than 40 exhibitors have great programs, products and informational displays aimed to enrich your life. One of the largest areas is hosted by our Presenting Sponsor Humana. In addition to biometric screenings, a Humana Healthy Quiz and a sign-making station, you can also share you wellness journey story at the Real People, Real Stories Video Booth.

Your story will be made into a short video that will be sent to you, and you can then share it on social media. Attendees will also be encouraged to download – for free from the iTunes or Google Play Store – the philanthropic exercise app Charity Miles. Through Humana’s sponsorship, Charity Miles will donate 25 cents for each mile biked, walked or run during the Games to the national charity of the user’s choice.

And, of course, no trip is complete without grabbing a 2015 logo shirt or other imprinted item to remember your experience in Minnesota. Enjoy YOUR Village, and come back often!

A More Natural Fountain Of Youth

Study reports that exercise can shave years off a person’s age.

By Dan Piering - Photo by Tracey Joyce

MINNEAPOLIS-It’s never too late to be healthy, according to Pam Peeke, M.D. “It’s as simple as assuming the vertical and walking each day,” she said. Peeke is a trustee of the National Senior Games Foundation Board. The 2015 National Senior Games presented by Humana get underway this weekend in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Bloomington, Minn.

Peeke has always promoted physical conditioning, but now she can point to some dramatic new evidence: a new study released by the National Senior Games Association (NSGA) indicating that exercise can cut the “fitness age” of a person by nearly a quarter-­century.

As reported in the New York Times on July 1, the study surveyed more than 4,200 Senior Games athletes who have competed in state and national competitions. The National Senior Games is a sporting event held every two years by the NSGA in which thousands of athletes fifty years and older compete in more than 800 individual athletic events.

Survey respondents were, on average, 68 years old. But based on their responses, their fitness age, on average, was 43 years old.

“The Fitness Age survey is unique in that the questions highlight important risk factors associated with disease and disability,” said Peeke, who also has a master’s degree in public health.. “People with a good Fitness Age tend to have lower waist sizes, higher aerobic capacity and optimally healthy lifestyle habits.”

Peeke said all of these factors are considered when calculating one’s Fitness Age.

The study was released days shy of the National Senior Games, which will be held in Minnesota from July 3 through 16.

2015 Games Mobile App Now Available

Humana has developed the first-of-its-kind official mobile app for the 2015 National Senior Games! The “National Senior Games” app is available for athletes, family members and attendees to download for free at the Google Play or Apple Store.

The National Senior Games app will feature event schedules, maps, a social media feed, competition results, and links to more. It will also highlight selected 2015 Humana Game Changers athletes. Check it out, and tell others the app is available!